When I recognize the dome of the Kidane Mehret Church,
I know it is time to leave the bus. All the three bus stations are grouped north
of Harnet Avenue, not far from this church. I ask one of the locals where I
can find the buses to Mendefera. He calls one of the children and orders him
to bring me to the bus station. "Give him a few Nakfa's", the man
advises me. There are no signs on the buses that indicate there destinations,
so at the bus station, I just wait for the announcement "Mendefera,
Mendefera, Mendefera" and try to locate the origin of the shouting.

Boys and girls of various ages try to sell
handkerchiefs, coffee beans, watches, chewing gum, and other stuff to the
passengers. I buy some biscuits for breakfast and share them with the
passengers. A man with dark glasses enters the bus and starts to collect money.
He is blind. Most of the passengers donate some coins. I think I should give him
a little more. "Yekanyelay", thank you, he addresses me when I give
him one of the many twenty Nakfa notes, I carry with me in my video bag.

When all the seats are occupied the bus leaves the bus station. The
road to Mendefera is completely asphalted and does not remember me to the road
of three years ago when I visited Mendefera for the fist time. The first twenty
kilometers the bus descents the Asmara plateau, and than passes one of Eritrea's
most fertile regions with a lot of agricultural activity. The trip takes a
little less than two hours. In Mendefera
the bus stops at a new build bus terminal.

Walking through Mendefera I see a
mixture of modern and very traditional buildings.I remember there was a tank grave yard somewhere
behind the Orthodox St. Ghiorgis Church. When I ask for the direction, a girl
offers to bring me there. "What is your name, where do you come
from?". I ask her name. "My name is Saba." When we approach the
tank grave yard, it appears that it is not allowed to visit it. Like in Asmara
there is a watch to turn out uninvited visitors.

So down we go and after having a coke, I climb
the other hill, with the catholic church and school on top, to enjoy the view
over this small town. Many churches are built on top of a hill. I assume it is
the closest place to heaven. I visit the cereal market, the town circle, take the main
road to the new regional office on the eastern side of the town
and than in the opposite direction where I saw some kind of painting on the
wall, when the bus entered Mendefera.

When I try to picture the painting, the local
children do their best to make it a group photo. The school teacher sends them
away, and explains the meaning of the painting. "It is the most
important part of our history. It tells about the liberation, the referendum and
our destiny." He too wants to know my nationality. The Dutch are popular in
Eritrea, together with the Canadians being the first to serve as UNMEE
peacekeepers. The teacher shows me the school compound. The children want me to
picture them.

I visit some bars and try to find a snack bar to
enjoy a lunch. The children peep through the opening of the iron door, but ran
away when I point the camera in their direction. Walking back to the bus
terminal I leave the main road and take the little alleys. Every once and a
while little children appear and express their excitement or want to shake
hands.